Tippy launches Bears past Tigers

Led by sluggers Dylan Tippy and Alec Bourgeois, White County Central and Pangburn exchanged blows for seven innings in the opener of Friday's 2-2A Conference doubleheader at Pangburn City Park.

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By Will Gilbert

The Sun-Times - Heber Springs, AR

By Will Gilbert

Posted Apr. 18, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By Will Gilbert
Posted Apr. 18, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Pangburn

Led by sluggers Dylan Tippy and Alec Bourgeois, White County Central and Pangburn exchanged blows for seven innings in the opener of Friday's 2-2A Conference doubleheader at Pangburn City Park.
The Bears (10-4, 8-3) built a comfortable cushion behind two home runs and 6 RBI from Tippy, whose father ironically graduated from Pangburn, and WCC held off a late charge by the Tigers for a 15-14 victory. WCC rolled to a 12-2 win in the nightcap, completing a conference sweep of Pangburn (4-10, 3-7).
With Pangburn trailing 13-7 in the bottom of the fifth, Bourgeois launched a grand slam over the wall in left center, pulling the Tigers within two heading into the sixth.
WCC added an insurance run in the sixth then relief pitcher Cade Malner took over in the bottom half and promptly retired Pangburn in order, making a Tiger comeback appear bleak.
In the top of the seventh, Tippy crushed a solo home run over the center field wall that seemed rather insignificant until the Tigers mounted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh.
Down 15-11, Pangburn nearly pulled off the upset, starting when Austin Beede drew a leadoff walk. Austin Smith also walked before Hunter Poe reached on a fielder's choice that forced Beede at third.
Malner struck out the next batter, but down to its final out, Pangburn continued to battle as Mac Myers pulled an RBI single to left field, scoring Smith as the Tigers trimmed their deficit to three at 15-12.
With runners at first and second, Dillon Parrott reached on an error, which scored Poe and Myers, who hustled around from second and slid in safely ahead of the tag.
With the tying run in scoring position, Malner retired Mickey Ivey on a ground ball to second base as the Bears held on for a hard fought one-run victory.
Pangburn took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Myers laced a single to left field that scored on a two-out RBI double off the bat of Alec Bourgeois, who tied Tippy with a game-high 6 RBI.
The Tigers added four runs in the second as Ivey and Smith each singled and scored, Noah Haile, while Beede each reached on an error and scored, boosting Pangburn's lead to 5-0 entering the third inning.
WCC began to chip away in the third when Caleb Altom ripped a 2 RBI double to deep center field, scoring two runners that reached by walk.
Pangburn pushed its lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the third as Ivey singled through the hole on left side, stole second and scored on an RBI double from Haile, who plugged the gap in right center.
Parrott, who got the start on the mound for the Tigers, struck out the first two batters of the fourth before running into trouble as the Bears stirred up a two-out rally sparked by Julio Perez, who drew a walk.
Joe Horn reached on an error that prolonged the inning for Griffin Dunn, who singled to left field, loading the bases for Joe Epps, who sliced a 2 RBI double down the right field line.
Tippy, an intimidating lefty, roped a 2 RBI single to center field as the Bears took a 7-6 lead and expanded upon it when Altom nailed an RBI double to deep left field, scoring Tippy for an 8-6 lead.
Elijah Cannon's high pop-up fell harmlessly between Tiger fielders, allowing two more runs to score as WCC took a 10-6 lead before the Tigers finally escaped the fourth.
Tippy's three-run blast in the top of the fifth gave WCC a 13-6 lead, but Pangburn began to battle back in the bottom of the fifth as Ivey singled and scored on a two-out RBI single from Smith, who kept the inning alive long enough for Bourgeois' grand slam.